Data Architect and Engineer

eStaffLLC • Sacramento, CA

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a hands-on Data Architect and Engineer for a hybrid project in Sacramento, California. The role will bring public data sources into one governed place for use by analysts, dashboards, applications, and business users. The first phase covers public state and federal data, with a later phase adding internal, non-public data from departments.

The position builds and maintains automated data pipelines, supports platform architecture and standards, and works with the data hub governance group on architecture, data sharing, contracts, ownership, and quality. It also advises on protecting sensitive data, improves reliability through monitoring and checks, prepares datasets for plain-language exploration using AI tools, maintains instruction files for AI coding assistants, and helps departments build pipelines using shared templates.

Requirements

• 7+ years in data engineering or a closely related role.
• Experience on large-scale, enterprise-wide data engineering or data architecture efforts.
• Strong Python and SQL skills.
• Experience with Apache Spark or a cloud data platform such as Databricks, Snowflake, BigQuery, or similar.
• Experience pulling data from REST APIs, databases, or other source systems.
• Excellent communication skills, clear writing, and good documentation habits.

Nice To Haves

• Hands-on Databricks experience, including Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, and Jobs.
• Experience governing sensitive or confidential data, such as access controls, data masking, and privacy requirements.
• Experience working within a data governance program, such as data contracts, data stewardship, and cross-agency data sharing agreements.
• Experience writing skill files, prompts, or instructions for AI coding assistants.
• Experience with GIS or location-based data.
• Databricks is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain automated pipelines that bring data from public portals, APIs, and internal department systems into Delta tables.
• Assist the program manager with platform architecture, naming standards, and documentation.
• Work with the data hub governance group to make decisions about architecture, data sharing, data contracts, data ownership, and data quality standards.
• Advise the data hub governance group on protecting sensitive data, including row-level and column-level access rules, and keeping sensitive data separate from public data.
• Improve data reliability through monitoring, alerts, and data quality checks.
• Set up datasets and documentation so data experts and business users can explore data in plain language with AI tools.
• Write and maintain skill files—instruction files that guide AI coding assistants—to help ensure pipelines are built consistently.
• Help other departments build their own pipelines using shared templates.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed